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Topic: $50 help with electronics (Read 17032 times)

READ THIS POST before continuing!!! I designed the programmer header for an older programmer version, so chances are you will need to convert it to the new 6 pin header. It is easier to wire, it just requires a bit more of thought. Just check the number of pins on your programmer cable to know if you need 6 pins or 10 pins.

How do i have to change things to work with the newer thing (if anything needs to be changed)?

Yes first solder everything to the small islands, so every component is stuck to board. Then read the howto carefully, because the text tells you what to do.Later on in the How to everything becomes clear, do follow the how to carefully.....

Same as me last night....new with it too, but just follow it and it will work..

make sure you show us pictures of your board later for the programmer headers look at the programmer you are using and see how many holes there are. if it is different then we'll talk. also does anyone know where a tutorial to make your programmer cable is?

At this point, I think you are correct, that noting is connected- all soldering is only to fastend the components to the board. Some of those things WILL be connected later though. Of the three 6-pin headers, the one on the right- all the pins will be connected together; this is the gound. For the 6-pin header in the center- all pins are connected also; this is your postive or power side. Now for the 6-pin header on the left, each pin will be connected to the dip socket pins even with them to make circuits with the controller chip which will be plugged into the dip socket. So you will have to bridge the space between the left pins and the socket with either solder or wire- soldered wires. I used wires because my soldering iron is too blunt and my soldering too sloppy so I got too much solder on the board and risked shorting between the individual bridges.

Does that make it clear, or just confuse you? I'm pretty new at this too.

Ok, i have now got a problem, i just figured out how to do all of it, and when i was doing the last three pins the solder all of a sudden sticks to the iron!!!! On the web someone said this is because the tip is dirty, but ive tried everything to clean it!, does anyone have any suggestions?

The DIP around, in function it will work. But it can confuse someone else if he/sha has to look at your soldering-project. The little mark in the middle points to the side of the mark on the controller and pin 1.

For the better solder it the wright way so nobody gets confused (keeping to standards is a virtue).

use the modify button please, and you should be fine with 1/4 watt resistors. it doesnt matter which way the socket is unless its a special shape (which its not). and to clean your soldering iron get a soldering stand with a sponge tray, moisen the sponge and heat the iron up. when the iron is hot wipe it on the sponge. hope this helped

Ok, thanks for the reply, i will next time use the modify button, sorry about that. Thanks For the info on teh socket and resistors that really helped, but the soldering iron still does not work aafter cleaning with a wet spounge.

hmm, how do you solder? do you apply solder onto the iron and bomb the component? or do you heat the lead then add solder? also for anyone who knows whats the value for the resistor for the led (near the power buses)? is it 1.62k? or 340ohm?

hmm, how do you solder? do you apply solder onto the iron and bomb the component? or do you heat the lead then add solder? also for anyone who knows whats the value for the resistor for the led (near the power buses)? is it 1.62k? or 340ohm?

The resistor before the LED must be 340 ohm , it just prevents the LED from being a one second shiny star.The 1.6 Kohm resistors are used for the Photoresistors (eyes) in the project.

hmm, how do you solder? do you apply solder onto the iron and bomb the component? or do you heat the lead then add solder? also for anyone who knows whats the value for the resistor for the led (near the power buses)? is it 1.62k? or 340ohm?

You NEVER put solder on the soldering iron and then bomb components Spend 10 minutes and learn some good soldering technique, you'd be amassed by the results. I know I was The idea's to apply heat to the spot where the two components meet and then introduce the solder, it will flow and fill the gaps between the components. Something based on surface tension and capillarity. There were a few videos on soldering posted on the Videos or on the Misc areas lately, look them up. Or search for "soldering" on YouTube, you'll find them.

lol, i dont bomb the components, i solder properly, it turns out that the spounge thing DID work, BUT after i tried to solder without cleaning at first one of the pads has gone all black and will not be soldered just on that pad.

2)After i finished im going to add the IR rangefinder expansion, i have a spare speaker that i might make do something interisting, how do i test it the speaker works (it should do because the TV's sound worked before i took it apart i just want to double check) And how would i make the speaker say anything, or would i need a bigger thing instead of the Atmeg8? If i need a bigger than Atmeg8 then i wont bother (for now) but the anwsers will still be used eventuly (maybe with another robot).